There was a real plot twist in the personal life of FBI Assistant Director Edgar Reade (Rob Brown) in the March 2 episode of NBC’s Blindspot, titled “Warning Shot.” His girlfriend, Meg Butani (Reshma Shetty), reveals to FBI Special Agent Tasha Zapata (Audrey Esparza) that she is an illegal alien. Oh, by the way, Meg is a high profile journalist who was in a storyline about African refugees.
Would someone in the FBI, especially someone so high up in the organization, be willing to risk his career with a romance with an illegal alien? Well, maybe, given all the political corruption we’ve seen lately in the headlines these days.
Naturally, Meg feels entitled to remain in America even though she never went through the legal process, even when she learned of her dilemma at the age of 16 years old when she tried to get a driver’s license. At least Meg finally snaps out of the sadness of her illegal life in America to ask what any reasonable person would – how did she get mixed up personally with Reade, given his position?
Meg: My family came from India when I was 6. My uncle arranged our papers, and we thought everything was okay. Then, when I was 16, I took my documents to the DMV to get my driver's license... The lady at the counter took one look at them and said that if I didn't want to get arrested I should burn the whole pile.
Tasha: Your uncle got you fakes.
Meg: I've gone to college. I've paid taxes. I've worked at two high-profile newspapers without being discovered. But everything that I do, it's a roll of the dice.
Tasha: That's a horrible way to live.
Meg: But not as bad as the idea of being shipped off to a place that I barely remember. This is my home. I love this country. And I'm proud of what I have contributed.
Tasha: As you should be. Who else knows?
Meg: Just a few people over the years. You can't do it alone. You need allies, people that you can trust.
Tasha: And you can trust me.
Meg: Of course.
Tasha: Okay, I'm just gonna say it. You're undocumented, and you decide to date the Assistant Director of the FBI?
Meg: He didn't exactly lead with that. And by the time I knew, it was too late. I was in love.
Oops. Too late. She was already in love with Reade.
So, as the episode continues, we learn that Reade has drawn a friend into the situation. This friend works for the State Department. Reade asks him to look into Meg’s status and find out if he can pave the way for her to become a legal resident. The agent can’t but he lays the blame on the fact that “some things at the upper levels of the State Department have changed... Everything is under more intense scrutiny including sensitive immigration issues.” There it is. The mandatory swipe at the Trump administration’s serious approach to illegal immigration. The lefties in Hollywood are so predictable.
Reade: Jonathan. Didn't expect to see you so soon.
Jonathan: I'm here on other business. I only have a minute, but we need to talk.
Reade: Of course. Appreciate you taking the time.
Jonathan: As I'm sure you're aware, some things at the upper levels of the State Department have changed... A lot.
Reade: Okay.
Jonathan: And... and everything I do is under more intense scrutiny now, including sensitive immigration issues.
Reade: What are you saying?
Jonathan: I'm sorry, Edgar. My hands are tied. I can't break the rules right now.
Reade: Whoa, whoa, whoa. No one asked you to break any rules.
Jonathan: I can't even bend them right now. Not without compromising myself. It's too risky. I'm late for this briefing. Be careful, okay?
Is it just me, or is everyone here just showing a blindspot for ethics? The Assistant Director of the FBI wants a friend at the State Department to fix his girlfriend’s immigration status and the State Department guy complains that the old days of turning a blind eye are over. Good grief.
The end of the episode brings Reade proposing to Meg. Sure, who didn’t see that one coming? Meg demurely reminds him that marrying her won’t change her status but Reade isn’t bothered by that. She says yes and that’s that.
Now I guess we wait and see where this plot development takes us as the season continues. Hollywood is definitely beating the drum on illegal immigration this season. It’s a bit hard to be too sympathetic, though, when the people here illegally feel so entitled.
